The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O’Donovan’s Theology of Political Authority
Ebook
The Reign of God constitutes the first detailed and systematic critical engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's political theology. It argues that O'Donovan's theological account of political authority is not tenable on the basis of exegetical and methodological problems.
The book goes on to demonstrate a way to refine O'Donovan's theology of political authority by incorporating insights from his earlier work in moral theology. This can provide a cogent basis for thinking that the Christ-event redeems the natural political authority embedded in the created order and inaugurates its new historical bene esse in the form of Christian liberalism.
Expounds, critiques and refines Oliver O'Donovan's theology of political authority.
Provides a clear and lucid exposition of O'Donovan's theology of political authority, illuminating both its strengths and weaknesses
While many discrete and tentative critiques have been made of O'Donovan's theology of political authority, they do not draw the conclusion made in this book and supported with strong evidence and arguments, namely, that the foundational tenets of that theology of political authority are not cogent on the basis of their present formulation and argument
Represents a serious contribution to O'Donovan studies and an original contribution to political theology
Introduction
Chapter 1:
Oliver O'Donovan's English-language Reception and Theopolitical Influences
Chapter 2:
Government-as-Judgment: An Exposition of O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority
Chapter 3:
Does Israel Reveal the Essence of Political Authority?
Chapter 4:
Romans 13: 1–7 and the Christological “Re-authorisation” of Political Authority
Chapter 5:
Salvation-History, Biblical Theology and Political Authority
Chapter 6:
The “Providence Thesis” and Its Theodicy Implications
Chapter 7:
O'Donovan's (Conservative) Christian Liberalism
Chapter 8:
Providence and the Created Order: The Ontological Tension in the Accounts of Political Authority in Resurrection and Desire
Chapter 9:
The Redemption of Political Authority and Its New Historical Bene Esse as the Work of Divine Providence
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
At last, a full-length monograph on Oliver O'Donovan's remarkable theology of political authority. Jonathan Cole does us a great service in this comprehensive, clearly-written and constructively critical account of O'Donovan's political thought. Both seasoned readers of O'Donovan and newcomers to his corpus will find this an invaluable companion.
This book is no doubt a significant step in the ongoing reception of O'Donovan's political theology, developing a detailed and carefully argued critique of O'Donovan's account of political authority. To his credit, Cole does not let his overall sympathy and appreciation stand in the way of critical examination and disagreement.
The Reign of God provides a clear map of the logic of O'Donovan's theology of political authority, a lucid understanding of the alternatives that troubled him, and a constructive resolution to his theology's internal contradictions. By thinking with and beyond O'Donovan, this book makes a distinctive contribution to Christian political theology.
- Title: The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O’Donovan’s Theology of Political Authority
- Author: Jonathan Cole
- Publisher: T&T Clark
- Print Publication Date: 2022
- Logos Release Date: 2024
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9780567707499, 9780567707505, 0567707504, 0567707490
- Resource ID: LLS:9780567707499
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-05-12T04:29:49Z
Jonathan Cole is Assistant Director at the Centre for Religion, Ethics and Society, Charles Sturt University, Australia.